Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- sardonic
- claustrophobic
- mystery night
- classic thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film an entertaining, witty comic thriller whose theatrical plotting and performances sustain its twists, while acknowledging its strong resemblance to Sleuth.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sidney and Clifford use playwrighting, rehearsal, and performance to conceal competing murder schemes.
The Bruhl home becomes the central arena for violence, surveillance, and reversals.
The plot turns attempted murder and professional envy into sardonic entertainment rather than straightforward horror.
Sidney’s scheme is driven by his desire to appropriate Clifford’s supposedly brilliant play and restore his Broadway reputation.
Films like Deathtrap, and why
Sleuth
shared theatrical setting, murder plotting, psychological deception, and darkly comic suspense
The Last of Sheila
shared stagecraft, claustrophobic domestic setting, shifting identities, and twist-driven mystery
The Trouble with Harry
shared witty crime plotting, escalating deception, and comic suspense built around performance
Movie Details
- Director
- Sidney Lumet
- Release Date
- 1982-03-19
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (325)
Cast
- Michael Caine
- Christopher Reeve
- Dyan Cannon
- Irene Worth
- Henry Jones
- Joe Silver
- Tony DiBenedetto
- Al LeBreton
- Francis B. Creamer Jr.
- Stewart Klein
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Deathtrap about?
- A disgraced Broadway playwright turns a brilliant student script into a murder plot, only to find authorship and reality becoming dangerously unstable.
- What is Deathtrap like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Deathtrap as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Deathtrap violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Deathtrap as moderate.
- What did critics think of Deathtrap?
- Critics generally found the film an entertaining, witty comic thriller whose theatrical plotting and performances sustain its twists, while acknowledging its strong resemblance to Sleuth.
- Which films are like Deathtrap?
- Films with a similar feel include Sleuth, The Last of Sheila, and The Trouble with Harry.
- How long is Deathtrap?
- Deathtrap runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Deathtrap?
- In United States, Deathtrap streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
